Abstract

There is a vast body of evidence to suggest that osteoarthritis is a heterogenous condition that involves not only the articular cartilage but also an adaptive response of the bone and the synovium to a variety of environmental, genetic and biomechanical stresses. There is also growing evidence pointing towards long term potentiation as the most likely mechanism for the transition of acute nociception to a chronic pain (CP) state.

The complexity and plasticity of the nociceptive system not only serve survival needs but also provide research opportunities for pharmacologic modulation of human suffering resulting from osteoarthritis.